I am an attorney licensed to practice in CA and CO who currently teaches Sports Law and Sports Governance at the University of Miami. I founded RulingSports.com in 2011 and since then have appeared on hundreds of television and radio shows internationally to provide commentary and analysis on sports law and sports business issues. Along with writing for Forbes, I cover sports for The Huffington Post and blog about life as a 20-something at www.aliciajessop.com.

As drivers prepare to start their engines for the final Sprint Cup Series race in the 2012 NASCAR season, the sanctioning and governing body has much to celebrate with respect to the growth of its sport. Coming off of an eventful race in Phoenix last week and with six racers within 100 points of each other to capture the Sprint Cup, today’s race will draw significant viewership. The strong interest in the sport this late in the season, along with large viewership numbers, highlight the momentum NASCAR has gained over the last year in securing an avid fan base.

An independent survey conducted by Taylor of 1,500 adults in October 2012 found that 61% of 18-34-year-old avid fans are more interested today in NASCAR than they were one year ago. Furthermore, 65% of those who have been fans for less than 5 years are more interested in NASCAR today than they were a year ago. This increase in fan interest is likely driven largely by NASCAR’s social media engagement with fans. Unlike other major sports leagues where athletes are under strict guidelines limiting their social media usage on game days, NASCAR has very loose race day social media guidelines which allow fans to interact with drivers minutes before they get into a car. NASCAR’s open social media policy recognizes the social media practices of NASCAR’s its fan base. The survey found that 54% of avid fans said they visit social media sites regularly for NASCAR content. That percentage jumped to 78% for fans between the ages of 18-34.

Recognizing the power of social media holds over its success, NASCAR has engaged in several initiatives to further drive social media usage by its fans. In May, NASCAR partnered with Twitter to provide fans with an original platform that streamlines tweets from drivers, media members and fans. The result, Twitter.com/#NASCAR, features high quality and engaging content about the race and NASCAR. “Twitter has been an important piece of our effort the last several years to further engage our fan base and help grow the sport,” said Steve Phelps, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of NASCAR. The #NASCAR hashtag has received over 2.25 million tweets by 275,000 contributors in 2012 alone. Initiatives like this one have allowed NASCAR to see significant growth in its social media following. As of November 12, NASCAR’s official twitter account (@NASCAR) has grown in followers by 136 percent, from 339,347 to 801,019. Furthermore, the official NASCAR Facebook page has grown by 34% in 2012, from 2,406,347 “likes” to 3,212,710 “likes.”

While NASCAR’s following on Twitter and “likes” on Facebook have largely grown in the last year, that growth is propelling further interest in the sport. The fans following and liking NASCAR are actively using social media platforms to share their interest in the sport with others. According to the independent survey, 44% of avid NASCAR fans share all or most NASCAR social media content. For avid fans between the ages of 18-34, that number jumps to 63%. Many of these fans are utilizing their mobile device to share NASCAR content. One tool allowing fans to more easily utilize their mobile device to access NASCAR content is the sport’s first-official iPhone app, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile App, which was put on the market this year. Launched by NASCAR, Sprint and Turner Sports, the app allows fans to follow their favorite drivers and stay on top of all the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race action, including access to race day content, schedules, standings, breaking news and more. Notably, the independent survey found that at the race, 37% of avid NASCAR fans use mobile devices or tablets to follow the race. This is a 28% increase from 2011. Furthermore, 53% avid fans between 18-34 are using mobile devices or tablets to follow the race, which is a 43% increase from 2011. Fans using wireless internet connection to access these devices at races should be happy to know that according to NASCAR, “infrastructure and fiber connectivity upgrades at a number of tracks to enhance the live event experience for the fan have been completed, and others are in progress.”

Although NASCAR has seen unprecedented growth in its fan and social media followings this year, one can only expect that 2013 will bring greater followings for the sport. One possible driving factor for growth in 2013 is the fact that in 2013, NASCAR will re-acquire its digital rights from Turner. According to NASCAR, this re-acquisition will allow NASCAR to build out its new digital platform, allowing it to be more creative and active across its entire digital presences beginning next year. Others in the sports media industry agree that re-acquisition of its digital rights will only fuel further growth for NASCAR. According to Angelina Lawton, the owner of Sportsdigita, a digital sports marketing agency, “In re-acquiring their rights in 2013, a big goal for NASCAR should be to improve upon their mobile and social media experience. Using the re-acquisition to reach new audiences and build new relationships will be really key for NASCAR.” Lawton suggests one method by which NASCAR can use social media to further expand its audience. “In the last year, NASCAR has gained really good momentum and it needs to capitalize upon that. NASCAR can use social media to educate its fans or potential fans. A lot of people are newbies to the sport and don’t understand how to be a NASCAR fan.” Thus, while 2012 has been an impressive year for NASCAR, one can only expect that upon re-acquiring its digital rights in 2013 it will only experience greater growth.

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